NAIROBI, Kenya – The Catholic Church in Kenya just got a little bigger — and a lot more local. On Thursday, Pope Leo officially established the Catholic Diocese of Kapsabet, carving it out of the Diocese of Eldoret and making it the 28th diocese in the country.
And in a move that caught the attention of many in the faith community, Rt. Rev. John Kiplimo Lelei was appointed as its first-ever bishop, marking a new chapter for the Catholic faithful in Nandi County, which the new diocese will exclusively serve.
If the name Lelei rings a bell, it’s because he’s not new to the scene.
Until now, he’s been serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Eldoret, but his connection to the region runs much deeper than that.
Born on August 15, 1958, in Soy, right within the Eldoret Diocese, Bishop Lelei has spent most of his life serving the church — and clearly, that service is being recognized.
He was ordained a priest back in October 1985 and went on to sharpen his academic and pastoral credentials both in Kenya and abroad.
He studied philosophy at St. Augustine’s Senior Seminary in Mabanga, theology at St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Nairobi, and earned a Doctorate in Theology (Liturgy) from the University of Vienna (Universität Wien) — no small feat in itself.
But it’s not just books and degrees that define him. Lelei has a robust pastoral background, having served as parish priest in Yamumbi, Chepterit, and Kapcherop.
He’s also known for shaping minds, having worked as a lecturer and rector at St. Matthias Mulumba Seminary in Tindinyo and later as Rector of St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Nairobi between 2017 and 2023.
Before his elevation as auxiliary bishop just four months ago, he served as the Vicar General of the Diocese of Eldoret, effectively acting as the bishop’s right-hand man.
The creation of the Diocese of Kapsabet comes at a time when Kenya’s Catholic population continues to grow, prompting the Vatican to decentralize pastoral care for more effective ministry.
As Bishop Lelei takes the helm of the new diocese, Catholics in Nandi County now have spiritual leadership much closer to home — and someone who deeply understands the community he’s about to shepherd.
